San Carlos City Council approves environmental impact report for Wheeler Plaza development

By Bonnie Eslinger

Daily News Staff Writer

Posted:
10/09/2012 09:27:27 PM PDT

Updated:
10/10/2012 12:10:42 AM PDT

The impacts of a five-story, mixed-use building at the Wheeler Plaza site wouldn't be significant if properly offset, the San Carlos City Council decided by a 4-1 vote, approving an environmental report on the project.

Mayor Matt Grocott cast the dissenting vote, explaining he isn't convinced the development will only minimally increase traffic.

"I can't see continuing to make a bad situation worse," Grocott said at the council's Monday night meeting.

In backing the environmental impact report, the council isn't yet taking a position on the merits or design of the project, Community Development Director Al Savay said.

Bordered by San Carlos Avenue and Laurel Street, and Cherry and Walnut streets, the Wheeler Plaza project could ultimately include three components, Savay said. The centerpiece would be a five-story building that features 108 residential units, shops and a parking garage with 237 spaces in two above-ground levels for public use and 190 spaces in a below-ground level for housing residents.

Next to it, on the lot where the former Foodville grocery stands, would go a two-story commercial building with ground-level restaurant space and upper-level office buildings, along with a 7,000-square-foot outdoor public plaza.

Along Cherry Street, the city envisions a 31-unit building of mostly below-market rate housing.

Advertisement

According to Savay's report for Monday's meeting, traffic was the main concern expressed by the public when the Wheeler Plaza project went before the planning commission from January to April. Although traffic could worsen at the intersections of Cherry and Walnut streets, Holly and Walnut streets, Holly and Laurel streets and Cherry and Laurel streets, the amount would be within acceptable thresholds, according to the environmental report.

But combined with traffic caused by other projects such as the proposed Transit Village development adjacent to the Caltrain tracks, the cumulative increase could be considered significant, the report says. To lessen the impact, a four-way stop could be installed at the Cherry and Laurel intersection and a traffic signal light at Holly and Laurel, the report suggests. Fees could be required to pay for traffic improvements, it adds.

Grocott was skeptical.

"Raise all the money you want, how much can we do?" he said. "We get the criticism as city council members of 'Why are you developing more and more when we can't even get in and out of town as it is in the morning?' "

Savay said the city is looking for long-term solutions to traffic problems, including the possibility of improving the Holly Street corridor and connection to Highway 101.

Grocott also expressed reservations about the scale of the project and the small size of the proposed public plaza, which he called a "postage-stamp pocket park."

San Carlos has partnered with Redwood City-based developer Silverstone Communities to develop the city-owned properties, although financial details of the project are still being worked out.